Water
Scientists use aerogel to generate clean drinking water out of thin air
With 700 million people worldwide suffering from water insecurity, it would surely be great if we were able to pull clean water out of thin air. Well, thanks to a team of scientists from the National University of Singapore (NUS), we could soon do that in a simple and efficient way. The new Read More...
Researchers solve key desalination efficiency mystery
Desalination is the process of removing salt and other chemicals from water to make it potable. It holds immense promise for providing clean water in the future as we face dwindling fresh water supplies for a growing population. For years, inconsistent efficiency in desalination baffled Read More...
Wetlands restoration is one of our best tools for reducing water pollution
Wetlands play a vital role in ecosystems, specifically when it comes to water purification. A new study from the University of Waterloo and the University of Illinois took a deeper look at just how influential targeted wetland restoration could be for improving water quality. When analyzing Read More...
The Optimist View: My Octopus Teacher Film Review
“What she taught me was to feel like you’re part of this place, not a visitor, that’s a huge difference.” - Craig Foster Living on the Western Cape of South Africa, powerful storms sent chilling water rushing into the bottom of Craig Foster’s family bungalow. Years later, facing Read More...
Research says seawater air conditioning could cool coastal cities
There’s no better feeling than a cool dip in the ocean on a hot day, but what if this same idea could be used to cool our home and buildings? A new study from the International Institute of Applied System Analysis (IIASA) showed that seawater air conditioning (SWAC) could be a greener alternative Read More...
Oceanographer develops algorithm to “remove” water from underwater photos
Derya Akkaynak is an oceanographer and engineer who focuses on imaging and underwater vision. Her newest project, Sea-thru, dives into how we can source clearer images of the underwater world. Akkaynak has developed an ingenious algorithm that essentially “removes" water from underwater Read More...
This startup is planting on the seafloor to offset carbon emissions
We recently wrote a story about how kelp forests can protect our coastlines from the pressures of a changing climate. An aquaculture startup, Running Tide, is using those carbon-sucking seaweed powers to sequester carbon off the coast of Maine while raising sustainable shellfish. Planting on Read More...
Great Barrier Reef seafloor mapping reveals new species and rare samples
The Schmidt Ocean Institute's research vessel Falkor embarked on its fourth expedition this year to explore the deepest regions of the Great Barrier Reef. At 1,820 meters deep, the researchers discovered five new species of corals and sponges and took the first sample of the 40 and 50 million year Read More...
New lidar technology offers a glimpse into the unexplored depths of our oceans
The oceans make up more than half of our world, yet vast areas of them remain completely unexplored. The sheer depth of many parts of the ocean has kept their composition and species a secret from scientists, but a new method of ocean exploration may soon open these areas up to human Read More...
Scientists use popular supplement Spirulina to purify water
Touted for its high protein count and other health benefits, Spirulina is typically used as a supplement. But researchers in Sweden have recently found a way to use the blue-green algae to remove contaminants from water and then make biofuels from what’s left after the process. For the Read More...